The Bonfire
by Lakritzwolf
Summary: Again, one of the 'What happened on that little island in Pirates I'Stories. Bit of fluff and a bit of smut. Yes, I can do dreamy, fluffy, happy ending stories too!
1. The night before

This is what should, maybe even could, have happened on that little island. One of the many views expressed here, and thus probably not very original, but what the hell... I had fun writing it.  
This story is rated M, and is rated M for a reason. I go into more detail here than I usually do, although probably not as much as other people who like do describe every single anatomical detail…which I don't. We all know what goes on, don't we? So it's fluff and a bit of smut, and if you don't like that, then please don't read it.

Anyway, enjoy and let me know what ye think, savvy?

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**The night before...**

She was dancing around the fire, and she was laughing. Well, to be more precise, she was cackling like an old hag, staggering precariously close to the fire, waving her half-empty bottle. Watching her, Jack had to grin.  
He himself was far from sober, but she had never in her life drunken rum before. Obviously, she seemed to have developed a taste for it. She stumbled and fell into the soft sand, sitting up again with a giggle. Jack chuckled and crawled over to her. She flashed him a sweet, drunken smile.

_She's even more beautiful right now with her hair all over the place than she ever was before when she was so perfectly set up and carefully arranged…  
_It was almost as if her spirit, caged and tamed for all of her life, suddenly had broken free. A spirit born to be free. So much like his own… And now, watching her dance drunkenly around the fire, which had only fanned the flames of his desire for her, he couldn't remember when had been the last time he had wanted a woman that much.

He leaned over to brush a strand of hair from her eyes, but being drunk himself, he fell over and landed right on top of her. He looked down, up at her face again and grinned. „Well that's some treasure chest ye've got there, luv."  
„Get off me, you drunken… pirate", she managed to say with a pout, and Jack reluctantly rolled down from her. She managed, after a few attempts, to sit upright again. Still grinning at her, Jack watched her take another swig from her bottle.  
„Go easy on that rum, luv", he said. „Ye might regret that in the morning."

She tried to focus on him and succeeded after a few attempts, swaying slightly back and forth. He leaned a little forward and took a sip out of his own bottle, smiling at her under half closed eyes. She was drunk. No, he corrected himself, she was not drunk, she was absolutely wasted. „Ye're pretty drunk, luv."  
She swayed a little and leaned back. „You wouldn't take advantage of me, would you?"  
He flashed her a small, impish smile and leaned even closer. Her face, illuminated by the golden, flickering firelight, half overshadowed by her disarranged and dishevelled locks, was flushed and glowing, and her eyes, while slightly glassy from all the rum, didn't bolt away this time when he looked at her. „I'm a pirate, luv", he said softly, and leaned even closer.

„I should slap you", she murmured, still staring into his dark, glinting eyes.  
„Oh, maybe ye should", he gave back with a smirk, and she slapped him. Well, to be honest, it was more like a friendly pat. „That didn't hurt", he remarked dryly, and Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and slapped him again on the other cheek, this time with a loud, hearty smack that made his head jerk.  
„Uh…", he said, looking back at her while rubbing his cheek. „That did, luv."  
She tilted forward, looking abashed. „Oh… sorry, Jack. I didn't mean to hit you that hard…" Elizabeth swallowed and found herself captured in that intense stare of his deep, dark, brown eyes, glinting with the smirk that twitched his lips. Having not quite fully control of herself and her actions, she leaned forward, as if following a sudden impulse, and kissed his cheek.

Jack cocked an eyebrow and Elizabeth tried to smile. He touched his cheek with a half-thoughtful, half-surprised expression, then he tilted his head and looked at her again. "To be honest, the first one did hurt, after all. A bit."  
She smiled sweetly and kissed his other cheek, as well. Jack swallowed and grinned, leaning a little closer to her.

The fire behind them crackled. A gentle breeze sprang up and send a shower of sparks high up into the air like a fountain of fire, lighting up the beach and their faces for a couple of seconds in a warm, orange glow. Moments of silence passed in which the crackling of the fire and the soft gushing of the waves on the sand were the only sounds. Jack leaned forward a bit more until their faces almost touched.

„Lizzie-luv, I wonder…"  
„Yes?" She hiccupped with an embarrassed, apologetic smile and he grinned, then dropped his impish face as he looked deeply into her eyes, making her swallow.  
„I wonder if ye could slap me again?  
She blinked „What?"  
"See…", he said, touching her cheek with his finger. „I'd like to kiss ye, but I don't want to slap ye first."  
A smile slowly spread on her face, so sweet, so soft, that it made him swallow, then she hit him so hard it stung. He gingerly touched his lower lip. „Ouch…"  
„Sorry, Jack", she whispered, then leaned forward and kissed him. He was so surprised that he didn't move at first, only when she gently sucked and nibbled his lower lip he opened his lips to her and pulled her close.

His heart raced. It wasn't that he had never been kissed by a drunken woman; it was more that no woman, drunken or sober, had ever kissed him so ravishingly. It was shortly before he felt he had to break free and shove her back to avoid suffocating that she withdrew her tongue and reluctantly let go of his lips. But instead of leaning back, she covered his face in soft, gentle kisses. Short of breath and with a racing heart, Jack could only close his eyes.  
„Oh Jack", she whispered between kisses, so soft and gentle, yet each one send a shower of fire and ice through his soul. „Jack, you're the most beautiful man I've ever laid eyes on."  
„Is that so, luv", he whispered back without opening his eyes, feeling a smile spread on his lips. „Oh yes", she gave back and kissed his lips again. „Although you're an insufferable, bloodthirsty, drunken, rum-stinking pirate who's so full of himself he makes me want to slap him whenever he opens his bloody mouth…"  
"As long as ye kiss me afterwards, that's fine with me", he interjected with a chuckle, but she ignored him. „Bloody mouth"[she went on after a soft burp that smelled of rum. „Bloody pirate. But even though, you make me think of doing things to you that no proper girl should even know about."

She leaned back and crossed her arms and Jack slowly tilted his head with a grin. „And what might that be?", he asked slowly and she looked at him for a while.  
„I want to take a swim."  
He blinked, then realised she had lost that train of thought in her rum-muddled brain and chuckled. „Hot, are ye, luv?"  
„Yes", she said.  
„Right", he said, labouring himself onto his feet and helping her up. „There's the sea. Full of water. All yours."

She smiled and turned around, and he watched her desperately reaching for and tugging at the lacings of her dress. He stroked the corners of his mouth downwards several times to keep himself from laughing when she finally started to mutter under her breath, leaving him not really trusting his ears to hear that kind of words escaping from a proper girl's sweet, ruby lips.

She dropped her arms in exasperation: „Jack, can't you help me?"  
„Nothing I'd rather do, luv", he muttered and started to unlace her dress, noticing with dismay that his hands were slightly trembling as he did so.  
„Thanks", she said then and stepped forward. „Now will you please turn around?"  
„Turn?" He crossed his arms and she turned, holding her dress up with one hand, as he noticed with an increasingly accelerating heartbeat.  
"Yes, please. I don't want you to have improper… notions."  
He laughed softly but turned around nonetheless. „I doubt that there could be any notions any more improper than any of the ones I already have, luv", he muttered, but she either ignored him or hadn't heard it.  
„Promise you won't turn around!"  
„Promised, luv."

He heard the rustling of cloth, her soft steps on the sand and a soft splashing as she entered the water. The thought of her undressing behind im in a distance of less than ten feet made him feel giddy, but he managed to keep his promise and didn't turn.

"You can turn around again", she softly called out to him. „I'm in the water now!"  
He slowly turned around and watched her swimming away from the shore. If only he could…  
Jack thoughtfully looked down at her dress, lying in a crumpled heap in the sand. And why couldn't he? He had promised not to turn, and then she had told him he could look again. He might as well…  
She surfaced again and turned, then waved at him. He could not possibly… he couldn't possibly not…  
Her skin shone like ivory in the moonlight, and Jack slowly kicked off his boots. She saw what he was doing and swam a little closer to the shore again. „What are you doing, Jack?"  
Jack grinned and unbuckled his belt, shrugging off his waistcoat. „I'm planning on having a swim as well, luv."

He faltered as she walked closer, staring at him intensely. She stopped when the water reached her shoulders, and Jack slowly pulled his shirt over his head, fully aware of the fact that she was watching him undress with a strange, feral look in her eyes while he had not been allowed to watch her. He slowly turned around completely and let her watch as he dropped his shirt.

Her lips parted slightly as she watched him unbuckle his other belt, and seemed to almost unconsciously walk another few steps towards the shore, the water barely reaching up to her armpits now. Swallowing a lump in his throat, Jack dropped his breeches and stepped free of them. He saw her eyes widen as he dropped his arms. Naked men can not lie about certain facts, and there was no denying what he felt right now.

He slowly walked towards the water's edge, noticing with a dry throat that she was walking up to meet him. They met when the water reached their hips, and he could not stop himself from watching her, her white, ivory skin shining in the moonlight, reflecting the light in small, glittering droplets of water that ran down her body.  
To his surprise, she moved first and laid her arms around him, resting her head against his chest. He closed his arms around hers, her skin, so cool from the sea, feeling almost cold on his. Or maybe he was hot. He felt like he was glowing.

Then she tilted her head back to look at him and he kissed her. Hip-deep in the water they kissed, their hands ran up and down each other's body, his skin warm and dry while hers was moist and cool. Slowly, Jack took a few steps back, deeper into the water, until it reached his shoulders, then he broke the kiss and slowly pushed her back. She looked at him with unmasked desire in her eyes as he started to caress her body, running his hands down her shoulders, down her flanks and up on her back again.

He cupped some water with his hands and gently trickled it down her breasts, watching her nipples grow stiff under the coolness. She let her head fall back with a soft moan and he leaned forward to kiss them, first the right one, then the left, while her hands buried themselves into his hair. „Jack", she whispered, and he moved his hands under her hips and lifted her up. Her legs seemed to wrap themselves around his hips on their own accord.

She floated on the water, held by his arms, holding onto his body with her legs wrapped around him. Watching her, her eyes closed in bliss, her lips parted in anticipation, her chest rising and falling with each heavy breath, he carefully moved and made her moan under her breath. Yet a sudden cold panic gripped his heart as he encountered an unexpected resistance. Hastily he withdrew himself and she lifted her head with a gasp.

He stared at her with widened eyes, and she stared up at him short of breath and, as he noticed, suddenly afraid. He shook his head and tried to catch back his breath.  
„I didn't know…" he whispered. „Luv… Lizzie I can't…"  
She stared at him and swallowed heavily, and he was at a loss. He had never had any scruples whatsoever, so why now? Why was the fact that she was still a virgin so upsetting to him? And why was he so surprised by that? He should have known, knowing her background. But she had acted so… so… how? Mature? Knowing?  
She was absolutely stinking drunk, that's what she was. He pulled her up, making her sling her arms around his shoulders.  
„Jack", she whispered. „I…"  
He shook his head and kissed her. „Shh…" He held her tight with his left arm while his right hand searched for her. „It's alright Lizzie. Don't be afraid."

He heard her gasp for air and felt her clench when he touched her, but then she suddenly went very limp and could only hold on to him as he continued what he was doing.  
„Jack, please…" She whispered, but it wasn't clear if she meant ‚please stop' or ‚please don't ever stop'. But since he didn't stop anyway and wasn't intending to, she grew taut and tauter until finally, she cried out in his arms and bit into his shoulder with a fierceness that made him grunt in pain.  
He kissed her again, very gently, and gathered her into his arms to carry her back to the shore. She was sobbing softly into his shoulder, and he didn't know why, but she held on to him like a drowning man to a piece of wood. He could still feel her racing heart beating against his own chest.

Jack gently lowered her down on his outspread coat and wrapped it around her. Her head lolled back and forth; he knew that the alcohol was finally taking it's toll on her and with a little sting of regret he realised that she might not even remember what had happened tonight when she would awake in the morning.  
He got up with a sigh to put on his breeches and shirt, but when he came back to her, she was already fast asleep, or maybe more or less unconscious. He laid down beside her, watched her face relax in her sleep, and finally fell asleep himself.


	2. The morning after

**The morning after...**

Elizabeth awoke from the blinding sunlight shining directly into her face. The first thing she noticed was a horrible, fuzzy feeling in her stomach and a horrible taste in her mouth, the second thing she noticed was that she was wrapped in Jack's coat wearing nothing underneath but her own skin. She gasped and scrambled up too her feet.

The fact that he was, still asleep with his arm draped over his face, lying beside her with his shirt and breeches on was vaguely reassuring, but she still felt her heart race and a tang of fear inside her as she hastily walked away to find her dress. She did find it not far away, and picking it up, she could dimly remember having gone for a swim. It was somewhat relieving, but… There was something else.

Trying to push these thoughts aside she turned again to make sure Jack was still asleep before dropping the coat and hastily dragging the dress over her head. She felt a little better now, but the queasiness in her stomach grew worse with every minute. Walking back to the fire, she remembered that she had been drinking rum, as well. Quite… a lot of rum. She groaned softly. What had she done?

„Lizzie?"  
She looked up and saw Jack giving her a concerned look under narrowed brows. "Ye're rather pale, luv. Are ye all right?"  
Mutely she shook her head and he got up and walked over to her. Feeling terribly conscious of herself due to the fact she could not lace her dress up by herself, she crossed her arms and took a step back.  
Watching her face lock, Jack felt his heart sink. She seemed to remember nothing and now probably thought he had taken advantage of her. Well he had, in a way, but not precisely the way she would probably think…

„What happened last night?", she asked with a slight feeling of horror, but more at the fact that she felt like throwing herself into his arms than at the fact she had taken a swim in the presence of a drunken pirate. Which was not a little upsetting to her. She should be more upset about the latter. He gave her a concerned look.  
"Ye went for a swim, luv."  
„I remember that much." She hugged herself and swallowed. „What else happened?"  
Jack pursed his lips and tried to smile. „I joined you?"  
She swallowed. „Did you kiss me?"  
„Well, to tell the truth, it was you who kissed me first." Her eyes narrowed. „Honestly", he went on. „Right after ye slapped me."  
She dropped her arms and her dress slipped off her right shoulder. Blushing fiercely, she pulled it up and crossed her arms again. „Shouldn't that happen the other way round?"  
„That's what I thought, luv", he said with a slight smirk.

Elizabeth took a deep breath. „And then I went for a swim, and you joined me?" Her voice sounded slightly faltering. Jack took a step forward and this time, she didn't step back.  
"I did", he said softly. She blinked, looked at him in desperation, and suddenly a tear came free form her right eye. „But… but I am… I've never… I was…"  
Jack took another step forward and gently took her by the shoulders. „Ye still are, luv", he said softly. „Promise. Don't know what ye've done to old Captain Jack Sparrow, but he suddenly felt reluctant to take advantage of a drunken maid and did not harm her."  
She stared up at him, desperately trying to believe him. He smiled at her and touched her cheek with a finger. „Promised", he said again.

„I should slap you again, Jack Sparrow", she said, growing slightly paler with every second.  
Jack leaned forward and flashed her an impish smile. „Lizzie… couldn't you, maybe, try and start thinking about kissing me without slapping me beforehand? Or afterwards", he then added as if in an afterthought.  
„Jack I think…" she began, then took a step back. „I think I have to throw up", she said, then turned around, fell to her knees and did exactly that.  
_Poor lass,_ Jack thought. „I told ye to go easy on the rum, luv." He knelt down behind her and held her shoulders. „There, that's right. Get it all out."  
She gasped for air and swallowed. „God, Jack, what will you think of me now?"  
He helped her up and turned her around before flashing her a grin. „That I'm pretty impressed at how much of that stuff ye managed in the first place?"  
She didn't know quite what to say to that and just stared up at him while he brushed a strand of hair behind her right ear. „Let's go and find a well", he said. „Ye need some water, and so do I."

He took her by the hand and she followed him, walking up the beach and ducking under the branches of the undergrowth. Every three or four steps Jack would stop and listen, until finally, he seemed to hear something she couldn't, for he changed his direction and didn't stop again before they stepped out onto a small clearing.

A little lake stretched out before them, no more than twenty feet across, and from a little rocky outcrop at the northern edge water bubbled up from a crack in the rocks and flowed into the pool. Gratefully, Elizabeth sank down onto her knees at the well and drank the sweet, cold water in deep, thirsty gulps. She leaned back afterwards, clutching her head and Jack watched her in concern, drank a few handfuls of water himself and then got up to walk around the little lake.

She watched him, casually bending down a twig here, a branch there, and suddenly remembered her own voice saying „Jack, you're the most beautiful man I've ever laid eyes on." She swallowed when he turned around to look at her as if he had been hearing those thoughts… Or had she spoken them out aloud? He winked at her and picked a large, white flower from a strange epiphyte hanging down from a branch, then ducked and disappeared into the undergrowth and out of sight.

Elizabeth let her head fall down with a groan, trying to ignore her headache and swimming stomach. What else had happened? They had kissed… she remembered that much as well now. And he had been right, it had been her that had kissed him, not the other way round.  
And he had joined her in the water… but he said he hadn't…  
How couldn't he have? She leaned back and supported her upper body on her arms. Images rose up in her mind like surfacing pieces of driftwood. Parts of a bigger piece, but strangely shattered and torn apart from each other.

His face. His hands. His body. She had watched him undress… She felt her breath quicken as she thought about that. They had kissed…

He had held her…

He had…

No he hadn't done that! She was all of a sudden absolutely sure he hadn't. She would have known, her body would have known. He had done something else though… and Elizabeth felt her face grow hot.

"Fond memories?", a low voice whispered beside her and she shot upright, blushing even more fiercely when she realised that she must have had her eyes closed and her lips parted. He smiled ever so slightly as he got down beside her and she had the nasty feeling that every single image must have been written clearly onto her face. She tugged up her dress again and pulled up her knees, hugging them to her chest.

She watched Jack, trying to suppress the memories of what his hands had done to her, as he crushed the three white flowers he had picked between his fingers. A fragrant, spicy smell came from them and Jack slowly leaned forward and rubbed the juice on his fingers onto her temples. She closed her eyes, shuddering slightly under his gentle touch, but inhaling the cool, pleasant, herbal smell. To her utter surprise, the headache dwindled almost instantly. She looked at him and blinked in surprise. "Better?", he asked, and she nodded.

Jack smirked. „Trust a pirate to know some cure for a hangover", he said with a wink and she had to smile. Then he turned and took a fruit he had picked. It looked strange, a bit like an orange, but it was green and it looked like it had been battered with a stick repeatedly. It wasn't round, but strangely misshaped and covered with brown and reddish spots. All in all, it looked as if it should had been harvested half a year ago. He dug the nail of his thumb into the fruit and started to peel it, and to her surprise, inside it looked perfect. The fruit fell apart in soft, green segments like a large lime, and he held out on of the pieces to her. She took it reluctantly, but when she tried it, she found it tasted absolutely lovely.

"What is that"?, she asked, and he handed her a second piece, popped one into his own mouth and shrugged. „Don't know what they're called, luv. They're pretty ugly, but they taste quite good."  
"They're lovely", she said, and he grinned and offered her another piece.  
He threw the empty peel away and moved a little closer to her. "You're lovely", he said in a low voice and Elizabeth swallowed as she looked into his eyes.  
Her heart raced as he reached out for her face and gently cupped her cheek in his hand. She slowly moved forward until she was kneeling, and he did likewise, not taking his eyes from her face.

„Jack", she whispered. „I'm afraid… I don't think I really can…"  
"What are ye afraid of, luv?"  
She faltered. „I… I don't even know…"  
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead with a smile. „What do ye think might happen? And what do ye think could make it worse? Ye've spent a couple of days… and nights… on a little island, alone with a drunken pirate."  
She blinked at him and he shrugged. „I'm sorry, luv, but who would ever believe ye when ye told them that… nothing ever happened?"  
Elizabeth swallowed. „You're right", she finally said, and he winked at her with an impish smile. „Face it, Lizzie, yer reputation is ruined, anyway. Ye might as well have some fun."

She shook her head, but could find nothing to say to contradict him. Closing her eyes with a sigh, she let him run his fingers through her hair and finally, gave in to the impulse and leaned forward, resting her head against his shoulder.  
She might as well have some fun… and about time it was, she thought grimly. Strange… strange how now that she had nothing more to loose, suddenly everything was hers for the taking. Smiling to herself, she slipped her hands under Jack's shirt and shoved it up. He leaned back with a grin, but didn't protest as she pulled it over his head and tossed it away.

Feeling reckless and strangely elated at the same time, she leaned back and watched his face as he looked at her. „I remember you did something to me", she said softly and shrugged the dress off her right shoulder. „Last night. In the water." She noticed with a smile that he swallowed heavily. „Although", she went on, „I can't quite remember what it was, but I do remember it felt really good." She shrugged the dress off her left shoulder and let it fall down to her hips. „Lizzie", he whispered hoarsely and leaned forward.  
She let herself be gathered into his arms as he held her, caressing her body and murmuring meaningless endearments into her hair. He laid her gently back, leaning over her breasts.  
„Lizzie luv, you're so beautiful when ye look at me like that", he whispered and shoved her skirts up over her knees with his other hand.

Elizabeth's world welt strangely blank as she let herself fall back into his embrace and let his hands and lips do whatever they wanted. His one arm was holding her and the other hand was between her legs, doing things that evoked feelings in her she could not name. His lips were caressing her breasts and nipples, kissing them softly, and while he did all that to her she could hear herself making sounds she didn't know she was capable of. She could only moan and gasp for air, muttering his name over and over again.

She felt the tension built up inside her and wanted to shout at him to stop, to stop killing her for she felt she surely must die if he went on doing this, when suddenly her soul exploded in a burst of fire that completely engulfed her. And for a few seconds, Elizabeth was dying in his arms before her heart finally started beating again, a heavy and fast rhythm only slowly calming down. When she finally was able to open her eyes again, she saw him look at her with his deep, soft, brown eyes and swallowed.

„I love you, Jack", she whispered. But instead of telling her the same, he smiled softly and kissed her again. When she looked at him expectantly and a little hurt he swallowed and sighed. "Luv, these words never came to me before, and while I feel them, I just can't say them."  
She caressed his face with her hands and nodded.  
„It's hard to say it for the first time", she said, but also felt that without having died in his arms, she would likely never have been able to.

She sat up and knelt before him, looking into his eyes as she unbuckled his belt. She wasn't even sure she was doing the right thing, but he just closed his eyes as undid his fly and reached for him; she had never done this, but strangely enough, felt like she knew what to do. She could hear him breathe heavily and felt all hear fears and anxieties dissolve like butter in a pan. The sheer feeling of doing something absolutely improper made it all the more enjoyable…  
„Slowly, luv", he whispered through gritted teeth. „Not so fast…"

She did as he had asked which made him groan deep in his chest. „That's better", he muttered, letting his head fall back. „Give him a kiss, Lizzie", he whispered, and with a smile, Elizabeth leaned over him.  
„Holy mother of god", Jack muttered and almost lost his balance. „Lizzie… Lizzie don't…"

But she didn't stop. She didn't want to stop, ever. It was not only that she suddenly seemed to have him completely under her control, having him submit to her so absolutely, it was also the feeling of being so close to him, his smell, male and musky like a wild and untamed animal, that aroused her so much she couldn't even stop had she wanted to. She felt his muscles grow taut under her hands and suddenly he was burying his hands into her hair as his breath came in fast, rasping gulps. She wasn't sure if he was pulling her towards him or trying to push her away, but she wouldn't have let him do that, anyway.

Jack groaned and gasped for air, then threw his head back in a loud, deep growl as his body suddenly gave in to the tension. She felt his hands grip her hair so hard it hurt and was sure he was trying to pull her away, but just didn't have the strength any more. Feeling smug, she finally straightened up and swallowed. He looked at her with burning eyes, still gasping for air, and slowly let himself sink backwards to lie down. Smiling to herself, Elizabeth laid down beside him and cradled his head to her chest, running a hand through his hair.

Jack opened his eyes and took a deep breath. „Where by the love of god did ye learn that from, Lizzie?", he asked laboriously and she shrugged. „I don't know. That was the first time I've ever tried."  
He let his head fall back into the crook of her arm and chuckled. „Then please do me the favour and don't practise any more. Ye'll likely kill me."  
She chuckled softly and kissed his brow while caressing his cheek.  
Jack opened his eyes again. "What have ye done to old Captain Jack?", he asked in a low whisper. „What have ye done to me, Lizzie?"  
She planted a careful kiss between his eyes and leaned back again to look at him. „I made you love me?", she asked softly and he smiled slightly, shaking his head. „Aye, I think it must be that. Ye made me love ye, Lizzie. And here I never even ever wanted to love anyone but the sea and me ship."

She laughed softly and let go of him, then got up and shrugged the dress completely off. Naked, she stepped towards the pool of water and then looked over her shoulder back at Jack.  
„Fancy a swim to cool off?"  
He grinned and laboured himself upright, then got rid of his boots and breeches. When he stepped into the water to join her, she slung her arms around him and kissed him hungrily and he opened his lips to her again and let her kiss him.  
„I'll likely not be able to hold meself back again this time", he whispered into her ear and she closed her eyes. „Do you think I care?", she muttered and he chuckled.  
„You seem not to, luv. But I'd hate to hurt ye…"  
"I don't care, neither."  
He gently but firmly took her hips and she took his shoulders, looking into his eyes. Jack took a few deep breath, swallowed, swallowed again and then shook his head. „I love ye, Lizzie", he whispered and kissed her. She smiled at him and then wordlessly, Elizabeth leaned back and closed her eyes.

x x x x x x x x

Watching the waves wash ashore on the white sand, she leaned back into his embrace, her back at his chest, and he closed his arms around her, following her gaze.  
Elizabeth slowly turned her head and leaned slightly sideways to look at him, and he leaned slightly forward and looked down at her.  
„Thank you", she finally said, and Jack slowly raised his eyebrows. „Thank you for setting me free, Jack."  
He gently took her by the shoulders and turned her around. „Anytime, luv", he said and pulled her tightly into an embrace. „I love ye, Lizzie."  
"I love you, Jack."  
He kissed the top of her head. "Will ye sail with me, Lizzie?"  
„Where to?" She leaned back a little to look at him.  
„Anywhere", he said softly and kissed her cheek. „And everywhere. Ye can hold yer bottle well enough. Ye should feel right at home on a pirate ship."  
She chuckled. „It's the aftermath that I can't deal with, though.  
"Oh, matter of practise, luv", he said with a smirk.


End file.
